Remixology: cut-ups, processualism and psychogeography.

As 21st century poets we inherit an array of poetic devices from twentieth-century experimentation. In addition to the traditional toolkit of rhyming, rhythmic and phonological effects, we have a plethora of processual, procedural, conceptual and performative approaches: ways of circumventing conscious intention, defamiliarising expectations and disrupting syntax to form new connections.

In this seminar-workshop Rhys Trimble and Steven Hitchins will consider the many reasons for using such methods, the different experiences engendered and what it’s like to engage with such work as readers and writers.

They will begin by looking at the development of the cut-up technique: from Tristan Tzara and Hans Arp’s use of chance in circling words at random in a newspaper or cutting them out and drawing them from a hat; to the developments made by William Burroughs in slicing and folding whole pages to create multi-spacetime narratives.

They will then move on to the broad variety of playful conceptual mechanisms devised by Bernadette Mayer in her list of writing experiments and journal ideas: systematic translations and transformations and the performative frame of durational constraints.

In the second half they will consider the use of spatial parameters in the psychogeographical dérives of the Situationist International. The seminar will combine critical discussion and practical activities, culminating in a writing walk around Llangattock.

STEVEN HITCHINS grew up in Abercynon in the South Wales valleys and studied at Aberystwyth University. He teaches English and Creative Writing at Coleg y Cymoedd and in the community for the WEA. His chapbook Bitch Dust was published by Hafan Books (Boiled String) in 2012. The White City was published by Aquifer in 2015. He runs The Literary Pocket Book press and little magazine, publishing contemporary experimental poetry in miniature editions using unusual book-folds. His interests include collage and cut-up techniques, walking and writing, mapping and place, book-making, performance art and multimedia crossovers between writing, music, found sounds, video and mobile phones.RHYS TRIMBLE is a Bilingual poet / performer based in Bethesda, North Wales originally from Pontneddfechan. An experienced performer/improvisor interested in medieval welsh language & bilingual poetry, music/poetry, collaborations, digital-art and avant garde writing practices. Editor of Ctrl+Alt+Del. Ezine and studying for a ‘psychomythogeographical’ PhD in creative writing. His books include: Keinc (Cinnamon 2010), Skine (knivesforksandspoonspress 2012), Hexerisk (knivesforksandspoonspress 2014) and Swansea Automatic (Aquifer 2015).